Flexible denture



Nov. 20, 1956 E. c. SHERROD 2,770,889

FLEXIBLE DENTURE Filed Jan. 17, 1955 [N VEN TOR Ed C. SIIerrod.

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent-.0

'The present invention relates generally to dental prosthesis and specifically to an improvement in the assembly and construction of dentures.

The primary object of the present invention is the pro- 'vision of a new and improved denture having a relative- .ly flexible anchor-frame of spring steel so that the denture may exert a constant pressure on the alveolar process of approximately forty (40) millimeters, and one which provides such a pressure over the entire denture seating area of the process.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a flexible denture which assumes a compensatiing shape for any change of the denture seating area due to resorption or illness, and thereby maintaining a close :apposition and contact of of the mouth.

the denture base to the tissue Another object of the present invention is the pro- 'vision of a flexible support for the artificial teeth in the -denture, and which affords elasticity to the denture while fit'distributes the stress or bite pressure over all of the zteeth of the denture.

Another object of the present invention is the pro- 'vision of a flexible support for the artificial teeth which permits the selection of a base material for resiliency :and adhesion, and not ability to stand stress, as has been znecessary prior to this invention.

.Another object of the present invention is the provision of a spring steel wire imbedded in the base ma- :terial at or near the peripheral extensions of the denture base, and which permits less bulk of material in the dentture base and which maintains a permanent peripheral seal.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an entirely resilient denture, which by virtue of the constant pressure of spring tension and the close adaptation of the base material and gingival mucous :membrane, will maintain and contribute to the normal tissue tone of the gingiva and permit the natural stimu- Ilating movements of the tissue in mastication.

Another object of the ,presentinvention is the provision of a flexible and resilient denture base which per- ;rr'ii'ts any necessaryexpansion anddistortion for-insertion ;and which resumes its normal shape and designed-pres- ;sure against the entire denture seating area after insertion. 'This feature permits the same adaptation and adhesion :to the undercut and indented portions of the denture :seating area as to the lingual, buccal and labial crests .and ridges of the process.

A further object of the present invention is the pro- 'vision of an improved method of arrangement and setrting of individual artificial teeth, and which more satis- :factorily fulfills the necessary requirements of balanced occlusion and articulation. The apertures through the lteeth along their anterior-posterior axes are located in :relation to the occlusal surfaces of the teeth; bucco- Jing-ually and labiolingually the positioning of the aper- .ture insures the proper proximal relationship of each tooth to the adjacent teeth in the same arch.

A further object of this invention is the shaping of the tooth wire to the proper landmarks of the maxillary and mandibular casts, so that the teeth when arranged and strung-on wire 10 in proper sequence will satisfy the necessary requirements of denture balance, individual tooth position, ridge relation, arch form (anterior and posterior) overbite, overjet, cuspid position and relation, compensating curves, and contacts in centric, right lateral, left lateral and protrusive.

' These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully apparent upon consideration of the ,following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the metal skeletal frame-- work of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view in elevation of the framework seen in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view in elevation of the framework shown mounted on the alveolar process.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a maxillary or upper denture constructed of the materials of the presentinvention and showing the framework in dotted lines.

t Fig. 5 is a schematic top plan view of a mandibular or lower denture showing in dotted lines the flexible movement laterally. s

Fig. 6 and Fig. 6a are' cross sectional views taken on line 66 of Fig. 5 showing the flexing'laterally of the.

mandibular denture in this illustration.

Fig. 7 and Fig. 7a are side elevational views showing the vertical flexing of the mandibular denture of Figs.

Fig. 8 is a vertical cross sectional view showing the flexing of the base material when constructed withthe' materials and by the methods of the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, in Fig. 1,.

is seen the metal framework of this invention, and con sisting of a centrally disposed tooth wire 10 of roughly a U-shape, on which are strung the teeth ll as shown most clearly in Fig. 4 and Fig. 8, each tooth being cast with an aperture 12 of close tolerance dimensions relative to the wire 10, the holes or apertures 12 being through the minor axis of each tooth.

The degree of tolerance between any tooth and the tooth wire 10 may be none or any desired amount for any individual tooth or groups of teeth in a denture. Through the posterior molars the degree of tolerance may be little or none, and anteriorly, progressively more toward the central incisors. I 1 g It is preferable that any degree of tolerance shall be along the major axis of the tooth. Thus the'rigidity of;

the denture may be controlled in its variousparts and the bite pressure transmitted to any desired areamay be' relieved or intensified without interference with the'adap tationflof the denture seating area. 1 i1 Further .seen in Fig. 1 is the lingual wire 13, conforming to the lingual surface of the alveolar ridge and approximately outlining the peripheral extension of the base material 14, in which the wire 13 is imbedded, as seen most clearly in Figs. 5 and 8. The ends of the wire 13 conform to and return over the alveolar ridge near the posterior border of the retronrolar pad on :the mandible, and at the pterygomaxillary notch on the maxilla, wherethey meet and are attached to the tooth wire 10, as seen ,most clearly at 15, Figs. 1 and 5.

Patented Nov. 20, 1956 seen to flex vertically also, the suspension of each .tooth' on the 'wire 1 0,"and' the-embodirnent of a resilient base" material permittin'g a slight buflappreciable flexing: In constructing' this inventiom -it is preferable -to use spring steel wirefor 'all' of the wires 10;13, 16 and 17,

while: any plastic, rubben'synthetic rubber, or rubber like material may be used for the base'rnaterial '14] '--Itis' preferable also the'shaping "of 'all the wires and the calculating bf'the-lateral' spring tension shall be per formed'on'a east; or positive mold, made from an im pression of the -an'atomial object on which the restorationis 'ba'sed. Thecompleted assembly of'teeth on wire may then be incorporated in a temporary base plate,

adapted to the same "cast; andwaxed up' and carved-to anatomical contour. Foiling, flasking and packing with the base "material-may be done inthe usual manner and with commonly used equipment, or by any method desired. Due care mustbetakento properly space all wire frame work and joints in thebase material when packing theflaskor-mold.

Relativeto'the construction of complete maxillary and mandibular dentures; the tooth wire is formed to the desired arch from registrations and landmarks on the cast. Theteetliwith properly placed apertures 12, Figs. 6 and 6a, through the anterior-posterior axis arearranged in proper sequence on-thetootdwire 10 as shown in Figs. 4' and 5. "Thelingua1'wire13; as seen in Fig. 1 is shaped to the cast with proper allowance for permissible lateral pressure'of approximately forty (40) millimeters," and adaptation mesially-dist'ally to the alveolar process, and

the ends turned distally over the ridge to intersect and attach to the ends of wire 10 by a rigidjoint, as seen at 15, FigS 1tand5 l The buccal-labial wire 17 is shaped and contoured to contact the buccallabi'al surface of the alveolar process with a lateral pressure of approximately forty" (40) milli: meters and r'eturrinnesiallyover' the'ridge to intersect audaflix towires '10 a'nd13-in a rigid joint; as best seen at'15,-Fig. 1. i In'the maxillary, this joint is placed as near center of the pterygo-maxillary *notchas physiological practice'will permit. In the mandibular, this joint islocated poste'riorly' to the retromolar'triangler' The joint which unites wires 10,13 and :17,and/or any other-wire or wires employed to contribute and maintain the desired lateral pressure may be-made by soldering; brazing, fusion'weld, or by any th d d i d H. v

The location and amount 'of steel framework within each=denturemay vary with the individualapplicati-on and may be eliminated entirely except for the tooth wire 13 in any type of; base material which is flexible and can be used in this invention for the purposes stated.

While only; a single. embodimentof the" present invention has been shown and: described, it is contemplated that the invention may encompass many forms and embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

While the device has been shown and the structure described in detail, it is obvious that this invention is not to be considered as being limited to the exact form disclosed, and that changes in detail and construction may be made therein within the scope of What is claimed, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

Having thus 'setforth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A flexible denture "comprising a resilient, flexible spring steel'wire formed into a substantial dental arch, said wire being shaped to the dental arch, artificial teeth having aligned apertures throughitlieir anterior-posterior minor axes, said wire extending through said aligned apertures in said artificial teeth, and a flexible base material covering all exposed portions of said wire and the base of said artificial teethyand forming the denture saddle.

2. A flexible denture comprising a resilient, flexible spring steel tooth Wire-formed-drito a substantial dental arch, said wire being shaped and arrangedto'be received in aligned apertures throughthe anterior-posterior axial line of aligned a'rtificial teeth for the support thereof, lingual and buccal-l'abial wires of similar dental arch disposed in superposed relation on'each sideot said tooth wire, said lingual and cubbo-labialwires being joined at their distal extensions totheposterior ends of said tooth wire and a flexible base'rnaterialembedding allof said wires and the base of said artificial teeth.

3. A flexible denture "comprising a'i'es'ilient, flexible spring steel tooth wire formed into a substantial dental arch, said wire receiving artificial teeth having aligned apertures throughtheir' anterior-posterior minor axes, said wire having its ends extended andterminating in joints, a plurality of other wires'havingtheir en'dsfi'xed insaid same joints and a flexible rubber-like base'material embedding said plurality of wires and said tooth wire, said teeth projecting from said base material for occlusion with the teeth of another denture orwith natural teeth.

4. A flexible denture comprising a resilient; flexible spring steel tooth wire formedinto a substantial u-shape, artificial teeth having aligned apertures through their anterior-posterior minor axes receiving said tooth wire there through, said'wire having its ends extended and terminating .in joints, and a flexible and resilient base material embedding all the Wire and'joints and the base of said artificial teeth, said flexible and'resilient base material providing the side support and the saddle of the denture and embracing the alveolar process on the sides thereof witha pressure of approximately forty (40) millimeters. i

References Cited in the file of this patent UN rEnsTAT s PATENTS 2,720,025 Miller Oct. 11 1955 l onnrori PATENTS 1,044,241 France June 17, 1953 

